


Quiet Nights and Starlights

by bountifulnuggets



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Father-Daughter Relationship, I wish Lee could've gotten more time, Parent Lee Everett, Stargazing, i love this game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:54:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25235773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bountifulnuggets/pseuds/bountifulnuggets
Summary: Lee just only wants the best for her.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Quiet Nights and Starlights

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little quick thing I whipped up, enjoy!

It's a beautiful night outside of that old mansion, a quiet kind of night with stars dotting the sky and Lee almost feels nostalgic, never thinking he'd see something like it again.

It's almost funny, something so lovely in a world taken over by walking corpses. It wasn't a world anyone deserved to live in, not even his own worst enemy and especially not someone like Clementine, her whole childhood ripped away from her in just too short of a time.

It's only when Lee hears Kenny's poor attempts to silence his sobs in the next room over does he truly realize how heavy this situation is. Not just for Kenny, but also for him, for everyone here.

"You should get some sleep, Lee." Christa makes a passing comment, slight concern in her voice and Lee gives a nod in return.

"Eventually. You should too." "Yeah. Goodnight." Lee adjusts the sleeves on his shirt, taking one more look to the sky and walks back into the mansion, making his way towards the room where he stayed when he stops in his tracks, the flash of a familiar red hoodie darting around the corner.

"Clementine-" Lee feels the little thump against him, tiny arms locking around him in a hug and he gently places a hand on her head, staring down at her with concern. "It's late. You should be asleep."

"B-Bad dream." Is all Clementine can muster out, tightening her hug and trembling with tears streaming down her tiny face and Lee doesn't move, returning her hug and letting her cry it out. She was still just a kid, she couldn't help herself.

"I get them too, honey. It's okay. They're just bad pictures, they can't get you." She doesn't reply. "Do you ever think I'd let anything hurt you, Clem?" Lee speaks gently to her in an almost fatherly tone, and he's very much aware of the fact he's not her father. But she needed someone to guide her and he was going to be that someone.

He could've been a good father; he thinks, had he not fucked up his chance at a family and the dead started walking the earth.

"No.. But what if something hurts you?" "There's always a chance for that, sweet pea." It's not something Lee wants to tell her, but she couldn't have that hidden away from her.

"But you shouldn't worry about that. Just keep being you." She sniffs, burying herself further into the hug. Lee takes one look to the spot where he stood outside earlier, and suddenly gets an idea. "Hey, Clementine."

"Y-yes?"

"Wanna see something pretty?"

Clementine looks up, those eyes still filled with tears, but also staring with interest. She liked pretty things. "Did you find flowers?" She asks, a slight sniffle following her question.

"Something better. Come on." Lee leads her outside to that yard, tiny hand tightly clutching onto his own as if he was going to disappear. "Look. See how the stars are making shapes?"

Clementine's eyes widen, sparkling with wonder and that childlike innocence that he was surprised she still had, something he wished she could keep.

She's in awe, going over as many of those stars as she could and for the first time in who knows how long, Lee actually sees her smile. He feels a sense of pride, knowing he did something good for her.

"Do you know what those are called, Clem?" She thinks back to her old school, that pretty teacher with eyes like her mom and an even prettier classroom with paper animals taped to the wall, but ultimately she shakes her head. She couldn't remember much of what she was taught.

"Constellations. It's like when you look outside and see the clouds in different shapes, but with stars instead." "They're so pretty!" Clementine starts to laugh, still holding onto Lee's hand much like a child would to their parent, pointing out the different ways the stars aligned and making up her own shapes and stories as she went along, almost as if she were turning it into a game.

She was such a creative girl; Lee hoped she'd put that to use someday.

"Lee?" Clementine stops after a while, lowering her head and turning to him as she drops her hand.

"Do you become a star after you die?"

Lee takes a moment to think, having not ever really thought about what waits after death; not that he wanted to. Especially not when it involved her.

"I'm not sure. Though if you wished for it enough I'm sure you could be."

"I hope it's a long time before I do."

Lee puts a hand on her head again. "Me too, sweet pea. Me too." He hoped she'd live to be strong, smart, and most of all, happy.

"Do you feel better now?" He asks after a small moment of silence, Clementine staring back up at those stars as if she were looking for something, or someone.

"Uh huh. I'm glad I have you, Lee."

Lee feels that sense of pride again, and maybe it's okay if after all this time she did feel almost like a daughter.

"I'm glad I have you too, Clem."

And maybe, just maybe things would be alright.


End file.
